Grant to boost fire education program

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) - The New Bedford Fire Department was awarded $11,300 for the FY ’12 Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) Program by the State Department of Fire Services.

“Our firefighters enjoy working closely with our school teachers to help children learn what they can do to prevent fires, to survive those that do occur, and how to respond correctly to fires and other emergencies,” said New Bedford Fire Chief Michael Gomes.

The S.A.F.E. Program is funded by the Governor and the Legislature through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. The program is administered by the State Department of Fire Services.

Specially trained fire educators and classroom teachers work together to deliver age-appropriate lessons on fire and life safety.

“This is the 17th year of the S.A.F.E. Program in Massachusetts and we are truly reaching our goal of raising a fire safe generation of children,” said State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan.

Since the program started, the average number of children who die in a fire each year in Massachusetts has decreased by 66 percent.

“Since consistent comprehensive fire education is the one thing we are doing for children that we are not doing for every other age group, I think it’s fair to say we are proving fire education works,” added Coan.

For more information about the S.A.F.E. Program, please call Captain Brian J. Arruda at (508) 991-6120 or go to www.mass.gov/dfs and type “SAFE” into the Search box.